The UTEP football program doesn't have much past glory to draw on when coaching positions come open.

One recent span of success was in the late 1980s under current athletic director Bob Stull, and Stull is poised to reach back to that and name alum Sean Kugler as UTEP's next head coach.

The 46-year-old Kugler, who has spent the past three seasons as the offensive line coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers, will replace the 66-year-old Mike Price, who retired after nine seasons at the helm. Kugler's staff is already taking shape, as Washington State linebackers coach Jeff Choate will be his defensive coordinator.

Kugler was not available for comment, and there was no immediate indication when the hiring would be formally announced or whether Kugler would finish the year with the Steelers. Pittsburgh plays San Diego today.

Stull was coy.

"Who is it today?" he asked from courtside at the UTEP women's basketball game. "Yesterday it was (Dan) Hawkins. Today, it's somebody else. I'll have to wait to tomorrow to find out."

He said he had no idea when a formal announcement would be made.

The players from last year's 3-9 team had hoped defensive coordinator Andre Patterson would get the job, but he appears on his way out.

"Honestly, I don't even know (Kugler). All I know is he coached with the Steelers and he went to UTEP," said defensive tackle Marcus Bagley, who said he was "very disappointed" Patterson didn't get the job. "I'm eager to see what he's about."

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"I leave the administrating to Coach Stull," quarterback Carson Meger said. "He got someone like Coach Price here, so obviously he knows what he's doing. I'm eager to meet (Kugler). His accolades speak for themselves. It might be good to bring some energy in, something different."

"I haven't done my research" on Kugler, quarterback Blaire Sullivan said, "but I'm excited. I'm ready for a little change. I think it will be good. Everybody will be fired up about it."

Defensive tackle Germard Reed, a favorite of Coach Patterson, texted that he had "mixed emotions," and didn't want to talk.

Kugler's timetable to take over the program and which assistants he will retain are unknown.

He was a star offensive lineman when he attended UTEP during 1984-88 -- the final three seasons under then-head coach Stull.

After concluding an eight-year coaching stint at UTEP in 2000, Kugler has spent all but one year since in the NFL, mostly as an offensive line coach, though he was the offensive line coach for the undefeated Boise State team that beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2006 season.

Kugler's hiring harks back to a bright era for Miner football. After the team went 1-10 in 1985, UTEP hired Stull, and in their final season at UTEP in 1988, the Miners went 10-3 with a trip to the Independence Bowl.

After failing to make the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, Kugler played a year in the World League of American Football before beginning a coaching career at two Tampa high schools the next two seasons.

Kugler returned to his alma mater in 1993 as a graduate assistant, then was promoted to tight ends coach in 1994. He coached the offensive line during 1995-2000 before heading to the Detroit Lions for the next five years.

He was coaching the offensive line at UTEP when current offensive line coach Brian Natkin (1997-2000) was an All-American tight end. His final year before leaving UTEP coincided with current linebacker coach Robert Rodriguez's true freshman redshirt year.

Stull said when Price retired, that while he couldn't make guarantees to the current assistants, he wanted some continuity with the staff. Kugler is also friends with director of football operations Nate Poss, who came to UTEP in 1997.

Kugler's name has been subject of speculation for more than a year, given his ties with Stull and UTEP, and was immediately linked to the job when Price announced his retirement Nov. 19.

As recently as Friday afternoon, former Boise State and Colorado coach Dan Hawkins was the focal point of speculation, but Stull denied the accuracy of that and said he hadn't made any decisions. By late Friday night, online coaching search sites were saying Kugler was the next coach, and that was borne out.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359. Follow him on Twitter @bretbloomquist